Kimkim Trip Reviews

This was the most incredible trip! We had so many wonderful experiences including touring the interesting city of Helsinki, enjoying Finnish saunas, visiting a beautiful reindeer farm, and going on a husky ride... But most of all, we had once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the northern lights! We had great success with our northern lights hunting tours and even got to see them dancing above us while in our glass ceiling cabin! The pace of the week-long trip was comfortable and the accommodations were very nice/food was delicious! These were very unique experiences I got to share with my mom and husband that will give us memories to last a lifetime

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fabian

Helsinki

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nova Skyland Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Northern Lights Ranch

Köngäs

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snowshoeing Experience

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adults Only Husky Adventure

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Herder Day Experience

Rovaniemi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helsinki City Walking Tour (2h)

Helsinki

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Porvoo Private Day Tour

Helsinki

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flexible Northern Lights Hunting

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Photography Tour

Finland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great overall 15 day Australia itinerary to 5 locations. Logistics went perfectly

Designer Trips represented by Camila and her ops colleague Flora were very professional, pleasant to work with and provided a high level of service and always responded promptly to queries and requests to change a very bespoke and tight itinaeary. All the local guides and drivers provided were excellent and we enjoyed all the properties we stayed at.

Hotel Reviews

Llao Llao Hotel

Bariloche

A unique property with stunning views and location with extensive facilities. A much larger property than we normally like, but the new Moreno Wing was excellent and almost like a boutique hotel. Best designed hotel room we have stayed in anywhere optimised for views, space and amienties! Unfortunately the food was not up to the same standard and we were pleased we went out for dinner one evening

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awasi Mendoza

Overall Excellent 5* plus experience with personal guide/driver for wine tours. Hotel provided a great wine and culinary experince and rooms as individual Casita's with lovely roof terrace

Authenticity & Character

surounded by a vineyard

Location

Staff

All the staff very attentive and lovely people who want to do a great job

Cleanliness & Comfort

Legado Mitico Salta Hotel Boutique

Salta

Old town house in great location walking distance to centre of Salta and night life area

Authenticity & Character

well done rennovation and conversion of original town house

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grace Cafayate Hotel

Salta

Excellent location close to town with very nice pool area. We stayed in one of the seperate villas which while was a big space was a bit souless and lacking in comfort and amienities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

breakfast and dining service excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

CasaSur Palermo Hotel

Buenos Aires

good hotel as base for a short BA visit in nice area

Authenticity & Character

Black theme bit dated

Location

Palermo

Staff

front desk very responsive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Navigation & Trekking

Bariloche

We had fabulous weather for our 1/2 day private bosat excursion - really nice itineray and small motor launch and visit to Victoria island was perfect to complement the hiking day

Quality of Experience

Food

simple picnic on the boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent local guide and skipper/owner of the boat

Transport

Panoramic Hike

Bariloche

we really enjoyed the hiking and expert guiding

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mendoza Private City Tour

Mendoza

the highlight is the city park which is wonderful and the monument - not much to see in rest of Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic drive Cafayate to Salta

Argentina

beacause we did the hike en route

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner under the stars

Cafayate

Beatutiful setting and service at the hotel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Trekking Quebrada de las Flechas

Argentina

Local guide and driver Joachim and our hiking guide Quito were really excellent and made sure we got the best out of our hiking time. This 8 km hike is through beautiful massive landscape with just us and our guide with stunning geology changing every 100m and our guide Quito was a proffessor of Geology so was fascinating experinece as well as amazing for photography. This was the highlight of our Argentina trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Joachim looked after us brilliantly and was always available and adjusted the itinaeary to maximise our time and experience

Trekking (El Paso – La Yesera)

Argentina

Local guide and driver Joachim and our hiking guide Quito were really excellent and made sure we got the best out of our hiking time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It's wine time!

Cafayate

very nice lunch with wine pairing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vicky was professional, communicative and accommodated all requests when needed. Prompt whenever we had questions.
As a personal opinion a couple of the tour parts we did, did not live up to expectations. However overall the trip was really enjoyable and we would happily recommend Kim Kim and Vicky as a specialist to support.

Hotel Reviews

Vibe Hotel Sydney

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peninsula Boutique Hotel

Port Douglas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane

Brisbane

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Wildlife Full-Day Sights and Hiking from Sydney

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic Sydney Sights - Half Day Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Daintree Adventure from Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ABC Reef Safaris - Port Douglas Snorkelling max 12 passengers

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tangalooma Snorkel the Wrecks Day Cruise with Bus Transfers from Brisbane

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Brisbane River Cruise

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bella was amazing and super helpful! I definitely recommend her for any travel needs you may have.

For the most part, our family enjoyed the trip prepared by Ada Huang and the Kim Kim team. We had three families totaling eleven people that created a logistic challenge. Getting the group from Tokyo to Hakone to Kyoto back to Tokyo and to Sapporo was achieved with great efficiency and all transportation was on time, professional and high quality equipment. We did have a few issues during the trip that should be addressed for future consideration. 1) Accommodations for the most part were high quality. We especially enjoyed the Asakusa View Hotel when we arrived. They met our request for adjoining rooms and their breakfasts were the best of all our western style accommodations. In Hakone we had an enjoyable one night stay at the Hotel Kajikaso ryokan. Unfortunately our requests for adjoining rooms for our families with children was problematic at the Hilton Kyoto Garden Inn. Not only were their offerings not adjoining but not even on the same floors when we arrived. We understand that there was no guarantee for our requests but the hotel staff indicated no notes were in the reservation making such request. Fortunately we were able to get each family situated on the same floor for our stay in Kyoto. Also important to note here that at the Hilton Kyoto Garden Inn you cannot get to any other floors besides the lobby and the one your personal room is on so there was no way to visit our families other rooms without swapping keys. My daughter called ahead to the Gate Hotel Tokyo to make sure our request was indicated before we arrived back in Tokyo and the Gate Hotel met our requests nicely. Follow-up and follow through for hotel requests are the most important component to travelers and should be the highest priority for a travel specialist to concentrate on. Our stay in Sapporo was fine at the Cross Hotel Sapporo.
2) We were counting on the expertise of Ada to provide information regarding the itinerary that she produced. It was a first trip for our family to Disney Sea and some information on procedures at the park would have been very helpful. Instead of simply providing transportation and tickets for the day, it would have been nice to have some information regarding park passes, website, etc. so standing in lines could have been reduced. When we toured Kyoto, it would have been important to know that it was a holiday for the Emperor’s birthday and the Kyoto Imperial Palace would be closed so we could have opted for another day to tour. We had multiple days in Kyoto and could have adjusted our schedule accordingly. My wife had specifically asked to see 2 locations and both of those locations were closed for the holiday.
3) We had five group oriented tours during our stay. Kumiko Aizawa toured us through Tokyo & Hakone. She was a wonderful & knowledgeable guide. Taku Tanimoto guided us through Osaka and was also a great resource of useful information. Sumie Shibata led us through our tour of Kyoto very professionally however my wife was not very happy that the 2 places she requested to see was not on the itinerary nor was she informed prior to the tour we were not going to be able to go to those places. Alternative locations were chosen to add to the itinerary but the focus of our family tour, which is more food oriented, was lost at the new venues. We passed a couple of key street food spots and only found out we had passed them once we were already onto the next location. Finally, Yumiko Kashiwagi guided us through Sapporo for our final tour. All four guides were high quality individuals providing great background history during our tours. We knew putting together a memorable journey for three families with eleven people to Japan would certainly be a challenge. Everyone was pleasantly surprised how smooth transport was throughout the trip. Accommodations were more than adequate. Our itinerary was a nice mix of guided tours and free days to relax or shop. Thank you for all your efforts in putting this journey together and please consider our comments as you continue to provide your services in the future.

This was one of our best trips and we have traveled quite a lot. Uma Natarajan was amazing. She already had an itinerary that interested me and my cousins and we just made it exactly what we wanted,
14 days in beautiful New Zealand. It was very busy but we wouldn't leave anything out. I'm sure there is even more to see in that wonderful place.
From the Harbour Sailing dinner cruise in Auckland, then Auckland City Tour with just the 6 of us (cousins) with Raymond great tour guide, Eco Zip line -super beautiful including the walk back to base through the rainforest, Then the unique Waitomo Glowworm Caves and on to Hobbiton with driver Rachael. I'm a huge Hobbit/Lord of the Rings fan and this was special. Next day' Hell's Gate Mud Bath experience was very interesting followed by breathtaking walk through the Redwood Trees. very secure and magical. We followed that with Tu Te Ra Maori Summer celebration. That was wonderful to understand the Maori beginnings and culture. This was followed by a very tasty dinner of their specialties. Next day we flew to South New Zealand into Christchurch and had a unique Tramway gourmet dinner while passing the sights of Christchurch. Next day a Christchurch city tour followed by Punting on the Avon with John from Ireland our boat punter - such a great job he did. The end of the day we picked King of Snakes to have my husband's birthday meal. We had the meal where they put together a selection of their choosing and each item was so delightful - Like a Michelin restaurant. From Christchurch we went to Tekapo Springs and enjoyed a morning soaking in different temperature pools with mountains in the background - so beautiful and relaxing. That night we stayed up late and went to the Dark Sky Project, where they took us to very dark deserted place to tell us about the night sky. We saw the Southern Cross, Jupiter and its rings and its 4 moons, We saw other galaxies - Loved it!. Then on a Cheeky Kiwi van with others to Queenstown the next day. Thrilling walks for views of Mt. Cook and so many "Oh My Gosh" sights. We went on the Appellation Wine Tour - 4 wineries with a tasty meal after winery #1. It was so good that we joined the Kinross wine club. The gondola ride that we did after that was another ' oh my gosh" beautiful experience. Yes, we did more that day - we went on the Walter Peak Steamer to an amazing dinner - actually too much wonderful food to choose from - it was a buffet but we enjoyed the sheep shearing demonstration after that. Next day's highlights was the Milford Sound cruise. Goodness - gorgeous waterfalls, smooth waters, peaceful. Back at the fabulous Rees hotel we enjoyed some light snacks in the bar area before we got a perfect night's sleep. Next headed to Franz Josef on another Cheeky Kiwi bus. It was a long day and possibly too many stops but each one was beautiful so who'd want to miss them? Uma knew we would get in late so she arranged dinner to be included at Legacy Te Waonui. That was one of the best meals of the trip & that's saying something. Next day a Scenic Cruise of lake Mapourika with Joe. A small ship with just our group and 4 others young ladies. Joe was so personable felt like family. We all loved it so much and views of Franz Josef glacier and all the natural beauty that is New Zealand. So after the peaceful cruise we had a nice meal in town and then had a 4 wheeler adventure with Franz Josef Wilderness. That was exhilarating to be sure: rainforests, glacier beds, rivers, mud - wow! At 71 yrs old I had never done this before. The last day of the trip was a highlight. We took the Tranz Alpine Train trip from Greymouth back to Christchurch. Exceptional trip. Views and vista galore and we saw the hugest most vibrant rainbow I'd ever seen. Next day smooth sailing with our transfers to airport and then home to Texas. Couldn't even envision a better trip !

Our family very much enjoyed our trip to Colombia, which included Cartagena, Las Islas del Rosario, and Barranquilla, and working with Cristina and KimKim made it seamless. If there was any concern, they were available quickly to help. I enjoyed the personal contact with Cristina throughout the planning to develop a trip that met our unique requests. It took a big load off the time it would have otherwise taken us to plan such a trip. We will have our memories for a long time. Gracias a todos!

Hotel Review

Hotel San Pedro de Majagua

Isla Grande

Unfortunately, the hotel did not have running water when we arrived and it was only fixed in the early evening. This left a bad first impression. It is a lovely hotel and the management staff provided some comped appetizers, but it was an unfortunate incident.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff were very kind and attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Initially it was not clean because of the water issue. The water never seems to come on full force across the island due to the way the water system works on the island.

Activity Reviews

Visit the National Aviary of Colombia

Colombia

Delightful aviary. More than I expected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We enjoyed very much the consistency in tour guide and driver - Gustavo and Julio were terrific!

Transport

As before the driver is 5 stars, though the van was a bit outdated. Julio made it work though!

Barranquilla Express Tour

Colombia

This was a tailored tour and we appreciate very much it being able to happen - Gracias!

Quality of Experience

We had a nice mix of personal visits, and sightseeing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I think we tried to do much much in one day. We were rushed at the end and we left Barranquilla in rush hour and the traffic was bad.

Transport

The van was nicer than the one in Cartagena - more modern and all seatbelts worked. However, the driver was rushed at the end and I could tell he was upset as he was late to his next job.

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Lovely city, tour guide explained everything well for a multi-generational family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gustavo and Julio took wonderful care of us. Muchas Gracias!

Transport

The driver was excellent! The van itself could use an upgrade, for example, not all the seatbelts worked.

So much detail went in to the planning is this trip and I didn't have to do any of the work. Jenny was amazing and patient. My daughter and I had the trip of a life time, but hopefully we will get another one in a few years!

Probably wouldn't try this agency again. It wasn't all bad, but...
Good: Local one-on-one guides were good and very hospitable. Hotels were good: Montevideo hotel was much better, but service at Punta del Este hotel made up for the fact it was a little old.
Not so good: Communication was lacking. Virtual assistant was out of the office every other day -- what's the point? Transfer from Montevideo to Punta del Este had poor communication: I was not told there was a timed hotel transfer or included lunch. I reported this to the virtual assistant who never got back to me after saying she would submit a complaint. Agent planned an 8 AM tour start on a day I arrived at my hotel at 2 AM. I ended up skipping the tour due to the inconvenience. There was an app with "details" of the trip, but the details were limited. I engage in group travel often. I usually have personal WhatsApp contacts in case there are issues and start and projected end times, which helps time dinners that are not included. Arrangements for a local excursion the first night were at a place where locals (guides drivers bar tender) all said everyone knows the food is bad -- the food was BAD. Finally, there was a water transfer that was ill advised. The water was choppy due to high winds. We were the only boat of our size on the water. No life vests were provided and the trip was frightening. It wasn't the guide's fault.

Hotel Reviews

2122 Hotel Art Design

Punta del Este

good service, though the hotel could use some updating to the rooms.

Hotel Costanero

Montevideo

Activity Reviews

Isla de Lobos nature experience

Punta del Este

I wish I could give it five stars because my guide was great. However, due to the difficult water and lack of life vests, I did not feel save on the ride to the island, I do not think the captain should have taken us out until the winds had past.

Full day Punta del Este & Piriapolis

Punta del Este

The transfer was okay, but I wish I had been told I was going on a tour of people who were on a day tour. There was insufficient information about what was different about my experience. The only reason I give it three stars is because the tour leader seemed to do his best given my unique circumstances.

Day by the Coast: José Ignacio & Sunset by the Sea

Punta del Este

Good guide and driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Art Tour Montevideo

Montevideo

Good guide and driver.

Dinner at El Milongon

Montevideo

Show is fine. Food is pretty bad.

Monika was a great help in planning our once in a lifetime trip to New Zealand! Planning to use KimKim for future adventures!

We just got back from a 17 night trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. We worked with Kelly at KimKim to plan this trip. She listened to our requests and sent the first draft of the trip which included almost everything we wanted. With some tweaks, it was the trip of a lifetime. The hotels and tours selected were exactly what we were looking for. Kelly also arranged our Vietnam visas which was very helpful. She kept in touch throughout the trip making sure everything was going as planned.
In addition, the guides and drivers were all excellent, providing knowledgeable history about each city. They gave us some good restaurant recommendations. In Ho Chi Minh City, we left something behind at our hotel and our guide Tran Tuan helped get it to the next stop. He went above and beyond at his own time and expense, checking in to make sure we received it. Our guide in Siem Reap, Phally, was very accommodating giving us a break during the hot afternoons and arranged 2 excursions that were not part of the original itinerary. The driver always had cool towels and cold water waiting for us. We would definitely work with KimKim again for our next trip.

Hotel Reviews

Emeralda Resort Tam Coc

Hoa Lu

The Emeralda Resort Tam Coc in Ninh Binh was absolutely beautiful. We only got to stay there for one night, unfortunately, but it was gorgeous with a stunning view of the lake. I wish we could've stayed longer to enjoy the surroundings better.

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa was lovely, though a bit of a walk from the city center - about 15 to 20 minutes. The hotel itself was very nice, but the distance was a bit farther from restaurants and shops than our other hotels. Still, we enjoyed our stay. A walker wouldn't be too bothered by the distance, but it's something to keep in mind.

White Mansion Boutique Hotel

Phnom Penh

Staying at the White Mansion Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh was an amazing experience. The place was actually an old American consulate converted into a hotel, which gave it such a unique charm. It wasn't quite in the city center, but it was fascinating to be in a building with history.

Activity Review

Athena Luxury Cruise - Day 1

Vietnam

The Athena Luxury Cruise on Ha Long Bay was a highlight of our trip. We did this cruise over New Year’s Eve, and they had planned fireworks, which was spectacular. Our room was comfortable, and the food was great, with all meals included. They offered activities like visiting a cave and kayaking, which was nice even though we chose to skip the kayaking.

Hoa was very good with communicating and adjusting our trip based on our interests. My husband and I both agree this is the best vacation either of us have ever been on and much of it is thanks to Hoa. I do love planning trips, but for our honeymoon I wanted to be able to just relax and not worry about logistics. We highly recommend using kimkim!

We had a wonderful trip with some outstanding tour guides such as Freddy and Felipe in Santiago and Daniel in Patagonia. Hotel Lago Grey was outstanding. It's impossible to choose a favorite place: the moai in Rapa Nui, the street art in Santiago and Valparaiso, Torres del Paine. Our itinerary was customized to match our interests, but some things exceeded our expectations like the Grey Glacier boat. Luckily, we had perfect weather for our trip. One thing that could be improved is the daily schedule which had multiple minor hiccups: starting time/location, guide's name, checkout time. In the end, Dittmar Adventures was very responsive and made everything right.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Excellent location and delicious food. This was the best hotel of our trip. We're very happy we didn't stay at Hotel del Paine. The complementary drinks was a nice touch which allowed us to discover calafate sours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

The location was good although the window the first night wouldn't close so there was a good bit of road noise. The staff was not particularly helpful and the breakfast wasn't the best.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great views, but some road noise.

Staff

The staff was not very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room didn't have a fridge.

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

The location is great and the staff is very helpful. The room was small unlike the pictures. The rooftop pool was very small. The hotel has two entrances which was problematic when we were leaving, Transvip was waiting on the street behind the hotel instead of at the front door.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great view and lots of choices for restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was small.

Cabañas Anavai

Hanga Roa

The description was for a bungalow. We had a room with a corner kitchen. There's no air conditioning so the room got very warm. Luckily there were two fans which we had to use all of the time. The last night the water went out. The next morning the want came back but the electricity went out. For the airport transfers, they really should use the guest's names to avoid the problem we had of confusing with another Cabanas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next to moai and beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No AC

Activity Reviews

Trekking "Miradores" - Guided Day Hikes in Torres del Paine

Chile

Armando was a good guide. We were able to pick which hikes we wanted. He also let my wife use his hiking poles. Unfortunately when we were coming down from Mirador Condor, he was going down quickly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daniel was an amazing driver.

Grey Glacier Boat Tour (round-trip)

Chile

One of the high points of our trip. Seeing the glacier and the impact of climate change was very impressive.

Quality of Experience

The weather was perfect which made the trip much better.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were knowledgeable and available to answer questions.

Transport

Very smooth ride.

Uptown Santiago Walking Food Tour

Santiago

Freddy did an outstanding job. It was great that he met us at the hotel and we took the subway together. We tried multiple foods and then saw multiple street art around Bellavista. Freddy is very knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It would have been more complicated to take the metro on our own.

Day trip to Viña del Mar & Valparaiso

Chile

Julio Contreras was very flexible in customizing our tour so we got to see the sites we wanted to visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Felipe Godoy is an excellent guide. He was extremely helpful in suggesting visits for our free day. The tour did not include the cable car up to the top of Cerro San Cristobal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable about the history and culture.

Transport

Easter Island (Rapa Nui): Secrets of the Seven Explorers (Half-Day Tour)

Easter Island

These are the only moai facing the sea.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easter Island (Rapa Nui): Half-Day Orongo & Volcanic Wonders

Easter Island

The crater is very impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isla de Pascua (Rapa Nui): The Grand Tour of Moai and Ancestral Sites

Easter Island

A good introduction into the history of Rapa Nui.

Quality of Experience

Lunch should have been included.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Terangi was excellent as was the driver.

Transport

I cannot say enough positive and outstanding things about the kimkim / Columbus Guatemala Travel Team! It was my first trip to Guatemala, and hopefully won't be my last. That is in part due to the beautiful country of Guatemala, but also because of the careful planning, the collaboration, the almost immediate answers to questions and friendship of the Team! I felt 100% supported, informed and all the details handled every step of the way. Catherina and Sofia are AWESOME! So was everyone else, but special call out to Catherina and Sofia. They made sure I was taken care of from before I arrived, to the minute I arrived and also after I got home! I love adventure and travel and new experiences and the Team made sure every box was checked. I cannot recommend the kimkim / Columbus Guatemala Travel Team enough. I will absolutely use them again in the future!

Could not have done this without Monika. She was responsive and helpful every step of the way. One needs to expect a few bumps when doing a trip like this but they were minor and quickly rectified.

Hotel Reviews

M Social

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hana Lodge

Rotorua

What a unique and spectacular property. Staff was incredibly accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Classic Villa

Christchurch

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Vicarage Geraldine

Geraldine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Dairy Private Hotel by Naumi Hotels

Queenstown

Perfectly located and loved the amenities and staff. Only negative was no chair in the room; the only place to sit was on the bed. That said, I would not hesitate to go back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Road to Mesopotamia - High Country Station 4WD tour

Geraldine

This was truly a great day. Our guide, Wayne, was extremely accommodating and his knowledge of the area was impressive.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Without Wayne, the hold have been a nice scenic drive. He made it into one of the best days of our trip with his knowledge of the area and just generally being a great guy. Would highly recommend.

Transport

Mt Cook half day Heli Hike

New Zealand

Don’t truly have a rating for this as weather cancelled the trip and we were told this is not an infrequent occurrence. I am sure it is an excellent experience but I would have a back up plan and it would have been nice to know in advance there was a chance of not getting to go.

Milford Sound overnight Cruise - Fiordland Jewel

Milford Sound

Nice relaxing excursion filled with beautiful sites and great accommodations. Staff was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Original Onsen Evening Session

Queenstown (NZ)

No better way to hot tub than the view you get at Onsen. Simply jaw dropping.

Quality of Experience

Jet Boat the Shotover River

Queenstown (NZ)

Super communication.

Hotel Reviews

Nayara Springs - Adults Only

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So available and friendly and helpful every minute of our stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

One of the overall most amazing places I have ever stayed.

Hotel Belmar

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A little rushed by guide that day.

Transport

Mocha Tour: Chocolate & Coffee

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Transport

Private Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private San Jose Walking Tour

San José

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The absolute highlight of the trip was our guid, Mu Giang, who was with us 21-26 February as we traveled through Bac Ha, Coc Pa, Ha Gaing and Ba Be. She incorporated a lot of time with local friends and families, a number of home-cooked meals and lots of great information about exactly what we wanted to understand; life today in rural (and urban) Vietnam.
This trip was the most experientially dense trip we have ever been on, and that includes some amazing trips to Anarctica and hiking New Zealand, a lot to compare to!
Hien Do did an absolutely outstanding job of arranging the trip over six months of planning and working through a few changes as plans fell into place. She gets very high marks!
Long Dao picked up the ball about a month before we started and provided the best support, communication and continuity. He is a very hard worker with good contacts.
This team provided us outstanding travel, well within budget and provided us with diverse and very comfortable lodging. We really feel that we experienced all of northern Vietnam in an outstanding way. They were with us every step of the way while providing a very independent feeling trip. We would definitely use Kimkim again for anywhere they operate.

Hotel Reviews

Ibis Saigon Airport

It was a place to crash for our last night before a very early departure towards home. It is very close to the airport. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the room was quite adequate for the mission. The top floor restaurant/bar had a fine view and is a great place for a beer, but the menu is depressing. Lots of fried and western type foods, nothing fresh or local to speak of. The things we ordered were safe and well prepared, but this was definitely the worst food on the trip. Perfect time for it though! We did walk the neighborhood a bit, and there didn't seem to be any other good options. This hotel absolutely served the purpose, but I would not call it a destination to seek out.

Authenticity & Character

It is what it is.

Location

If you want close to the airport (which will soon be replaced...) this is it.

Staff

As everywhere, the people are the highlight and could not have been nicer

Cleanliness & Comfort

Little down at heel, but certainly clean and serviceable.

Saigon - Ba Be Resort

They style themselves as being quite top tier. Almost. The place looks like it's been there for quite a while and is now under newer management. Certain areas are very sharp and well tended but not the whole place. It is clean and our room was very comfortable, though it hadn't been open for quite a while and was in need of a good airing out, which we provided. All good after that. The dining was quite adequate, but not very fresh or inspired the first night. Very short on vegetables, but we asked and they improved markedly the second night. There are not a lot of options for hotels around Ba Be it seems, and this certainly met the need but somewhere a bit smaller and busier might be more fun.

Authenticity & Character

Kind of large and a bit run down. Somebody's grand vision that needs some continuity and TLC applied.

Location

a long way from the Lake and the town, but nothing around it for hiking or sight seeing.

Staff

The Front Desk was helpful and friendly. Dining as well. No English that we could tell, but we had a guide so it didn't matter much.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was great, once we aired it out. Excellent bed, good AC and good shower. Dining room was very clean. Kitchen, maybe... but we had no issues of any kind.

Ha Giang Ecolodge

This was the highlight of our trip in the North. The construction was beautiful, the room well appointed, the view over the village and rice fields from our room was exceptional. The night before we got here had been a little rough, so we really were grateful for this place. Good local fare in the dining room and Hanoi beer, which was welcome after the hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Very local flavor, but nicely done.

Location

Great location for our activities in the area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was a highlight of the trip. Great shower, great bed, very quiet!

Pu Luong Jungle Lodge

This is a really fun lodge. The room was all local materials and really nicely done. They got some laundry done for us and were generally just very helpful and accomodating. You have to be very comfortable with stone stairs without any railings to navigate from Registration to your room and to dining. The place is beautiful but be ready for some stair climber action!

Authenticity & Character

All locally built and the dining was all local as well, and very nicely done!

Location

Good jumping off spot for our hiking and exploration around Pu Luong.

Staff

They were short handed due to the Tet holiday, but met our every need with a smile. They were super.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good room, good bed, quiet AC (though cool enough at altitude not to need much!). good shower

Nung Gia Homestay

This is a family homestay and they did a great job providing us with simple but very excellent dinner and breakfast the next morning. Simple accommodations, but plenty of hot water, good air conditioning. The bed is extremely firm (board with a thin mat over it), so a little like sleeping on the ground, but no rocks! It gave us good access to the area.

Authenticity & Character

Definitely the real deal! Your are in Vietnam now.

Location

Don't believe Google Map directions. The location is correct, but the route isn't workable. The view from the deck is great, overlooking the town and river.

Staff

The family was very welcoming and the mom, who cooked for us after a long day of teaching, made us feel very welcome.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was very good. The place is very simple and a softer bed was appreciated the next night.

Bac Ha Legend Home

The family bent over backwards to provide us with great locally sourced meals that were perfect. The accommodation is simple but very comfortable. It was a good location for our travel in and around Bac Ha.

Authenticity & Character

Family run, very accomodating, excellent home cooking.

Location

Staff

They bent over backwards in feeding us locally sourced dishes our guide Mu had worked out with them. Superb hotpot!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Simple but very clean and comfortable. Plenty of hot water and a good mattress. AC worked fine, very quiet.

MK Premier Boutique hotel

Hanoi

The staff here is outstanding. Unfailingly courteous, very helpful and very good English at the front desk. The location is the best. Right in the midst of the bustle of Old Town Hanoi and walking distance to a bunch of interesting stops. The room was comfortable (good mattress!) and quiet. Excellent air conditioning. We really enjoyed the roof-top bar for breakfast and our night cap in the evening. This place was a lovely refuge to return to after prowling around Hanoi or returning from a few days in the countryside.

Authenticity & Character

Location

walkable to lots of Hanoi

Staff

Great English at the Front Desk and Bell staff. Everyone everywhere was super friendly and helpful. Top Notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quiet room, quite AC, great shower and comfortable mattress

Activity Reviews

Cycling Around the National park

Vietnam

The only bicycling available was rental bikes at the Saigon Ba Be Resort which were restricted to use on their limited grounds. We didn't bother. We did, however get a bonus on the way back to Hanoi, a stop at the Hua Ma cave, which is one of the longest tourist-accessable caves I've experienced. It has a good cement stair and walkway for access and is fully lit. No headlamp required. A cave purist will be horrified at the colored lighting, but the limestone structures and the size of the rooms are definitely highlighted by it.

Boating And Trekking in Ba Be

Ba Be

The peaceful boat ride to the bat cave, (Hang Puổng) is a magical experience, even on an overcast day. We got the added fun of going further downstream the opposite direction, to the primary school in a small village just northwest of the lake. Mu had arranged with the teacher for us to deliver twenty sets of crayons and coloring books to her class. Items which are outside the budget but were greatly appreciated. Do not waste time on the Fairy Pond, unless you aspire to wall up and down hill through dense smoke from the fires of the food and souvenir vendors lining the path to and from the pea green, heavily polluted pond which has no natural outflow, so can never clean itself out. The newly built quasi-Buddhist temple (Đền An Mạ) is nicely built for tourist consumption, but has no local following or historical significance. Photogenic but not a big deal if you miss it.

Xin Man travel to Ha Giang via Hoang Su Phi

Vietnam

Google Maps showed the shortest route to Ha Giang, but it was a very minimal road. We made it, but the 15 minutes for the longer route on bigger roads could have been worth it. We had lunch with another friend of Mu at their homestay, and it was one of the best meals of the trip without doubt. The village is surrounded by small rice fields and planting was back in full swing after the Tet holiday. A good hike around and we ended up at our Ecolodge, the best overnight in this part of the trip. Took a great hike, river and waterfalls.

Bac Ha Market - Xin Man

Vietnam

Bac Ha Sunday Market was mind blowing! One of the largest markets we've seen anywhere, and everything you can imagine on sale. The highlight was shopping and then cooking lunch at a local family's home with Mu. (a long time friend of her's). That was really special.

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooking!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Would not have happened without a well experienced and connected local guide.

Visit Hoang A Tuong’s Palace - “Pho” village of Flower H’Mong People

Bac Ha, Lao Cai

Bac Ha was a definite highlight. Great hiking, with an unplanned "happy water" stop at a local farm up in the hills outside Bac Ha. That was a hoot! We did NOT visit the Hoang A Tuong Palace, as it has been redone and not worth the admission or time. Walking around Bac Ha/Lao Cai was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The hiking was splended and having Mu to interpret with our (somewhat tipsy) Hmong farmer friend was essential!

Trekking to Kho Muong and Uoi Villages

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Our longest walk of the trip (14 km) and it was lovely.

Water Wheels walk and Bamboo Rafting

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

The walk around the villages was delightful. Tet in full swing and karaoke at full volume is king in every village. The water wheels were great to see from an engineering standpoint, though they were suffering from quite a bit of neglect, as they serve no purpose anymore, of course. Still, one could get the idea and admire the ingenuity of the design. The bamboo raft was most pleasant and we enjoyed it. Doesn't go very far, but it gave us a couple good photo ops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Quoc was great fun to walk with and did a good job setting up the experiences and meals.

Transport

Mr. Bao got us through the trip with no paint swapped, but he does not radiate the charm and graciousness towards others (especially other drivers) which we experienced elsewhere in Vietnam.

VIP Fast Track Service (including visa application)

Vietnam

Arriving in the middle of the night, this was a godsend and greatly appreciated. Well worth the cost.

Our four week trip to NZ was customized after an iterative process of inquiry and response, including by phone with Ruth. She listened well and offered incredibly helpful insights. We followed her advice in most cases, and she offered various options for us to consider by way of guided tours, etc., as electives beyond the basis itinerary. We selected some of those to be included. The entire trip from arrival to departure including hotels, car rental and ferry booking was organized and communicated really well. All worked out perfectly. It turned out that a medical emergency intruded in the final week of our trip and the local agents were wonderfully supportive to manage and adjust the itinerary and give a sense of local expertise in the local time zone. My wife and I cannot speak more highly of our experience and plan to use kim kim again in our future travel plans.

Hotel Reviews

Scenic Hotel Cotswold

Christchurch

I was pleasantly surprised by the Scenic Hotel Cotswold in Christchurch. Despite my initial expectation that it would be lackluster, it turned out to be great.

Heartland Hotel Glacier Country

Fox Glacier

The Heartland Hotel Glacier Country in Fox Glacier was quite disappointing, but we were advised that accommodations in that area wouldn't be top-notch. It was basic at best, although the local hospitality was undeniably welcoming.

Pear Orchard Lodge

Nelson

The Pear Orchard Lodge was a delightful surprise. The lodge offers a beautiful setting outside of Nelson. It featured a well-equipped common kitchen, perfect for those who enjoy cooking, and it was shared only between a few rooms. Additionally, having access to a washing machine for a small fee was incredibly helpful during our travels.

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure & Funyak River Safari

Queenstown (NZ)

The Full-Day Jet-Boat Adventure and Funyak River Safari in Queenstown was enjoyable, but I felt the description didn't match the experience. While the initial jet-boat ride was exciting, the later sections with kayaking were slower, as the guides needed to accommodate everyone. Next time, I'd probably just opt for the shorter, more thrilling jet-boat trip.

Half Day Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience Morning

Rotorua

The Half Day Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience was quite intense, perhaps not suitable for the faint-hearted. Some aspects were slightly oversold, like the description implying a four-wheel-drive adventure when it was just a regular van. Overall, it was a good, challenging experience.

Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton Self Drive

Auckland

The Hobbiton Shared Tour was a highlight of our trip. While we're not the biggest Lord of the Rings fans, the tour was exceptionally well-done, offering fascinating insights into the making of the films. It's very well organized and worth the visit.

This was our first time in Egypt. I worked with Kim Kim travel to organize and customize our trip. The service was outstanding. The original itinerary although well thought out wasn’t a 100% of what we wanted. We contact Aya with the changes, she was completely responsive and made all the changes so we could have a completely customized agenda. Kim Kim travel representative Aya did an outstanding job. Whenever I contacted her she got right back to me. It seems she works 24 hours a day.
During our time in Cairo, she was always available and checking in to make sure that things were going well. Any glitches she immediately corrected. I can’t say enough about her service and attention to detail.

Upon arriving in Cairo we were met by Osama, and we were fortunate enough to have Osama as our Tour Guide in Cairo towards the end of our trip as well. He has a genuine love for Egypt and an incredible knowledge regarding the history of Cairo and the history of Egypt in general. Aside from his sincere love for his country and ability to flawlessly instill his knowledge he is a most delightful individual and a joy to be around.
Sam, another one of our guides while we were in Cairo is a wealth of information and sincerely cares about his tour groups. We toured the GEM, the pyramids, Memphis, Sakkara and a full day trip in Alexandrea with him. Sam is another outstanding Tour Guide and Egyptologist, with a wealth acknowledge and a true love of his country He has a sincere respect for other cultures and is fun to be around. We purchased custom made rugs, which will take several months to manufacture. Sam has offered to stay in touch with us and the manufacturer until the job is completed to our satisfaction.

Mansour was our guide on the river, Nile cruise and in Luxor and Aswan. Mansour is a very special person and also an Egyptologist with a superior knowledge of Aswan and Luxor, not only from a historical perspective but seems to know all the hidden gems of the cities as well, not to mention he seems to know everyone in both cities. What a joy it was spending a few days with him, I cannot say enough about Mansour he such a wonderful person.

I don’t remember all our drivers names, but they were all terrific as well , respectful and accommodating.